Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize Opening Reception

To mark the opening of the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize, please join us in celebrating this year’s winners: Ame Morrison, Brianna Cieri, and Savannah Noel. Their work will be on view at the museum until April 25.

Learn more about this year's winners here.

The highest award offered in the school, the prize acknowledges the achievements and promise of our‬ students and is a meaningful expression of our values and commitment to excellence in higher education‬ and the arts. This year’s submissions represented works in various media, including sculpture, painting,‬ drawing, multimedia, and community-based social practice projects. Recurring themes included‬ identity, queerness, mental health, trauma, healing, body positivity, nature, family, heritage,‬ transformation, and connection.‬

We are extraordinarily grateful to the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation for their support in creating the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize. It was established by Arlene Schnitzer in 2013 to recognize student achievement in the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design and to raise awareness of the quality of art education at PSU. With Arlene's passing in 2020, we are grateful for this annual opportunity to honor her memory and legacy as a devoted and inspired leader of art and culture in Portland. The endowed award ensures that each year, three aspiring artists and designers will receive significant recognition and a financial boost as they embark on their careers as active, creative practitioners.